Mass Effect 3 set to mark the end for Shepard

360 News | Farewell captain, my captain.

In what is set to be bittersweet news for fans of galactic adventures everywhere, Shacknews has confirmed that Mass Effect 3 will indeed represent the end of Commander Shepard's interplanetary reign.

It all comes via BioWare CEO Dr. Ray Muzyka, who in a recent interview has claimed "Mass Effect 3 is simultaneously a couple of different things; a thrilling and epic conclusion to the trilogy as we promised our fans we'd provide for Commander Shepard, but it's also a brand new beginning. It's an entry point for new fans."

Just in case that wasn't definitive enough , Mass Effect producer Michael Gamble echoes Dr Muzyka's sentiments. "After this, Commander Shepard's story is complete."

It's fairly safe to assume therefore that the series' next iteration will be Shepard free (at least in terms of a playable protagonist); focusing on other aspects within the Mass Effect universe.

But what do you think? Should Shepard's gruffness return for yet another mission, or is time for somebody else to shine?

Mass Effect 3 is still currently slated for an early 2012 release.

Related Content

BioWare hires fan artist for Mass Effect 3
30 Aug, 2011 Power to the people.

Mass Effect 3 collector's edition detailed
14 Jun, 2011 Another one to pre-order.

Mass Effect 3 appears on EA Store
11 Dec, 2010 The calm before the storm.

16 Comments

ObsoletE

1 year ago

spoilers?

i mean sure, it was something i'd assumed would be the case, but having it confirmed in the headline is a little annoying.

Benza

1 year ago

ObsoletE wrote

spoilers?

i mean sure, it was something i'd assumed would be the case, but having it confirmed in the headline is a little annoying.

They've been saying that ME 3 was going to be the end of Sheppard's adventure for years. It was always going to be a trilogy.

JackSlack

1 year ago

Mind you, I wouldn't put it past them to let you import your ME3 save file into the next Mass Effect game, still. AND let you meet Shepard as an NPC. Which could be awesome.

LooneyVoltage

1 year ago

Im thinking just because this is the last time he is going to be playable doesn't mean he is going to die in the series. Unless he ended up getting killed at the end of ME2.

Benza

1 year ago

JackSlack wrote

Mind you, I wouldn't put it past them to let you import your ME3 save file into the next Mass Effect game, still. AND let you meet Shepard as an NPC. Which could be awesome.

I can see them going like Dragon Age. The save file import would shape the galaxy with things like weather the council are alive or dead, weather the rachni are floating around or not, who rules the krogans etc. But just not effect your actual character.

I would love to see a multiplayer ME game come out where the characters you can play are effected by previous save files, only people who saved the rachni could play a rachni, krogans would play differently depending on if wrex was leading them or not etc.

Also spell check wants to change Krogan to Brogan... and that's kind of awesome.

Quote

Im thinking just because this is the last time she is going to be playable

fixed

JackSlack

1 year ago

My fiancÃ©e offers best suggestion: In the new games, you should be hearing, "I'm Commander Shepard, and this is my favourite store on the citadel" every store you walk into.

ObsoletE

1 year ago

Benza wrote

ObsoletE wrote

spoilers?

i mean sure, it was something i'd assumed would be the case, but having it confirmed in the headline is a little annoying.

They've been saying that ME 3 was going to be the end of Sheppard's adventure for years. It was always going to be a trilogy.

ok, maybe i was being a little sensitive - i was aware this was going to be a trilogy, but the wording in the headline made it sound like Shepard is confirmed to die at the end of the third game, which i really don't want to know at this point, and have otherwise been in blackout mode.

apologies if i jumped the gun.

that brief list of options from ME1 made me realise how few of them there were in ME2. there might've been more i guess, but i can only think of the one choice like that in ME2, and as it relates to the final location in the game, i can't really mention it...

LeonJ

1 year ago

This is so going to be a choice 'sacrifice yourself or a crew-mate to save the world'.

Nietzsche

1 year ago

I really hope there will be no new games set after the trilogy mostly because that would limit the choices of the end game so that a game could be fitted in after. I want choices that widely affect the universe so much so that setting a game after it would be a impossible, not have my choices be like in Mass Effect 1 and 2 where not much changes.

Benza

1 year ago

ObsoletE wrote

Ah ok, if you took it that way I can see why you'd be pissed. I haven't read the article so I've got no idea if it says (media black out) that but I just thought it meant the last game you play as shepard.

Quote

that brief list of options from ME1 made me realise how few of them there were in ME2. there might've been more i guess, but i can only think of the one choice like that in ME2, and as it relates to the final location in the game, i can't really mention it...

ME 2 had just as many decisions, they were just in regards to the characters and crew instead of the world at large.

You also don't know how the choices you made for those characters are going to play out in ME 3. I mean nothing really indicated the choice with wrex would in turn lead to a change in the development of the entire krogan race. Who knows what say your choice with Garrus in his loyalty mission is going to lead to, him going back and changing C-sec or becoming an even more brutal merc etc.

That and there were a fair few decisions in the loyalty missions that are obviously going to play into the world at large. spoilers Killing or reprogramming the geth, saving or destryoing the krogan research, even the whole deal with tali's dad could have far reaching consequences

Island_Wolf

1 year ago

O yeah, this news reminded me to get ready for Mass Effect 3.

Times like this I wish I made use of the Steam sale and got Mass Effect and Mass Effect 2 and have a mega ME PC marathon but I suppose my 360 do need some attention that I have been neglecting to give lately and still need to get the DLCs!

Part of me reckon this game will be made into an MMO after the trilogy but I suppose it could depend on the success of Star Wars: The Old Republic.

Benza

1 year ago

I'd actually be ok with a Mass Effect MMO, if it kept the same combat system and let you play as all the different races.

jprockbelly

1 year ago

Ummm... didn't he already die?

Perhaps after BioWare's next game is a flop the illusive man will re-re-build Sheppard to re-fight the Reapers.

Benza

1 year ago

jprockbelly wrote

Ummm... didn't he already die?

Twice depending on how you play your cards

Jarrod

1 year ago

The Mass Effect universe will continue in one way or another. BioWare wants to do a MMO, but I'm not sure that will fly. Mass Effect is popular, but not that popular. A lot will ride on the success of TOR.

They've said that ME3 will have numerous endings. As others pointed out the various decisions you've made across the saga will shape the ending. They also said that in order to continue the universe post-ME3 they'll need to take some liberties with the canon, which is reasonable given the ending variations of the third game.

Personally I think they'll experiment with some other genres, EA pushing for Mass Effect to be a blanket franchise rather than one specific game. We'll no doubt see traditional Mass Effect titles, but I wouldnt be in the least bit surprised if we saw other stuff like a shooter, strategy game, etc.

Benza

1 year ago

I could see it going into like a sins of the solar empire style game.
And yeah I'm guessing at some point they're just going to say "Allright this is canon, nothing else is" hell they already have started with the fact you play as Shepard in ME3.

View as forum topic

Add Comment